The present invention relates generally to cableclamping devices and, more particularly to improvements in hinged-jaw, non-shearing cable clamps. The cable connectors of the present invention may be used for electrical and nonelectrical purposes, and they are particularly effective for use with aluminum cables.
The cable clamps which utilize hinged-jaw clamping means are known in the art, as disclosed in the following patents:
______________________________________ Schuk et al. 2118720 Electrical Connector. Lawlor 3138422 Electrical Connector With Wire-Gripping Means. Lawlor et al. 3351889 Electrical Connector, etc. Lawlor 3406372 Non-Shear, etc. Electrical Connector. Beaudion 3437979 Electrical Connector With Wire-Gripping Means. Lawlor 3477060 Electrical Connector Of Integral Sheet Metal. Tracy 3169818 Electrical Conductor Clamp. Peterson 2700807 Guy Wire Clamp. Goetzelman 1955283 Ground Connector. Lanfear 2680145 Wire Connector. Lawlor 3579177 Terminal Board Electrical Connector. ______________________________________
One of the advantages associated with this type of cable clamp is that the sleeve design of the female jaw provides a spring effect, when clamped onto a cable, thereby applying a constant pressure thereto. This feature is of increasing importance since clamps of this type are being used more often in conjunction with cables made from materials which exhibit "cold flow" tendencies as, for example, aluminum. When a fixed position connector is used with such a cable, there exists the danger that the connection will eventually loosen. With hinged-jaw connectors, however, this problem is lessened since, as the cold flow occurs, the spring characteristics of the female jaw allow the clamp to move with the flow of the cable and to maintain a constant pressure thereon, thereby preventing any loosening of the connection.
ONE OF THE DISADVANTAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE HINGED-JAW CLAMPING DEVICES OF THE PRIOR ART IS THAT THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY, TERMINAL CABLE CLAMPS; THAT IS, THEY ARE USED TO CLAMP THE END OF A CABLE TO A FIXED BODY OR ANCHOR. Thus, the clamps of the prior art are not suitable for in-line connection of two cables without the use of some supporting structure.